ve me
back my things and go about your business."

"I'll give you back a stamp for every perfect lesson you get, and you
won't see them on any other terms;" and, thrusting the treasures into
his pocket, Frank caught up his rubber boots, and went off swinging them
like a pair of clubs, feeling that he would give a trifle to be able to
use them on his lazy brother.

At this high-handed proceeding, and the threat which accompanied it,
Jack's patience gave out, and catching up Caesar, as he thought, sent
him flying after the retreating tyrant with the defiant declaration,--

"Keep them, then, and your old book, too! I won't look at it till you
give all my stamps back and say you are sorry. So now!"

It was all over before Mamma could interfere, or Jill do more than
clutch and cling to the gum-brush. Frank vanished unharmed, but the poor
book dashed against the wall to fall half open on the floor, its gay
cover loosened, and its smooth leaves crushed by the blow.

"It's the album! O Jack, how could you?" cried Jill, dismayed at sight
of the precious book so maltreated by the owner.

"Thought it was the other. Guess it isn't hurt much. Didn't mean to
hit him, any way. He does provoke me so," muttered Jack, very red and
shamefaced as his mother picked up the book and laid it silently on
the table before him. He did not know what to do with himself, and was
thankful for the stamps still left him, finding great relief in making
faces as he plucked them one by one from his mortified countenance. Jill
looked on, half glad, half sorry that her savage showed such signs of
unconverted ferocity, and Mrs. Minot went on writing letters, wearing
the grave look her sons found harder to bear than another person's
scolding. No one spoke for a moment, and the silence was becoming
awkward when Gus appeared in a rubber suit, bringing a book to Jack from
Laura and a note to Jill from Lotty.

"Look here, you just trundle me into my den, please, I'm going to have a
nap, it's so dull to-day I don't feel like doing much," said Jack, when
Gus had done his errands, trying to look as if he knew nothing about the
fracas.

Jack folded his arms and departed like a warrior borne from the
battle-field, to be chaffed unmercifully for a "pepper-pot," while Gus
made him comfortable in his own room.

"I heard once of a boy who threw a fork at his brother and put his eye
out. But he didn't mean to, and the brother forgave him, and he never
did so any